A child loses a parent every twenty-two minutes in the UK. That’s 1 child in every classroom. Childhood bereavement brings with it a whole series of challenges for the bereaved child – challenges they will deal with all their lives. A bereaved Dad expressed his shock to me when his son started laughing and running around the garden at his Grandad’s funeral. Shock quickly turned to anger. ‘It’s so disrespectful, why isn’t he crying?’ he said. I explained that children can easily dip in and out of their grief. One minute they are crying, then the next they are laughing. This jumping misleads parents to believe children aren’t grieving. However, this ‘puddle-jumping’ in and out of grief behaviour is an inbuilt safety mechanism that stops them from being overwhelmed by powerful feelings. As usual, when we look closer, we see the wisdom in this safety mechanism. Staying too long in our sadness can keep us stuck. There’s nothing wrong with including light relief. In fact, when we do, it refreshes and fortifies us, gives us strength to carry on. The next time your child puddle jumps, why not join them. For a deep dive listen to my podcast conversation with Ian and Phoebe Gilbert about how they found hope after parental loss. Join my private Facebook Group, Supporting Bereaved Children to Find Their Smile Again and receive a free ebook: How to Help Your Grieving Child: 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques Every Parent Can Use To Help Their Child With Grief, Loss and Change.